Persona
by Dark Master Ryo
Summary: Ranma finally finds what appears to be a cure. However, things don't go as well as he has hoped, and he learns that there are things humans should never tamper with.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Takahashi Rumiko. No profit is gained from this work.

"..." Speech.

Persona

By

Dark Master Ryo

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Chapter 1: The Key to Disaster.

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_Saotome_

I don't know how I got myself into this, but I somehow did. Thanks to that, I am really annoyed right now, as I always am when my old man and that pesky old goat are involved.

For some reason, Happosai decided to go on a training trip, and naturally forced pops to go with him, who in turn used me as his mule the whole way.

So here I am now, walking down an old road, carrying three packs along with those idiots.

"Are we there yet?" I ask in annoyance. I've actually lost count of how many times I've repeated this line.

"Be patient, Ranma." The old fart hums happily as he walks. Why he's so happy is anyone's guess. I'm pretty sure there is an ulterior motive behind this whole "training" trip of his. "We'll be there in a few minutes."

"You've been saying this for a damn hour now!" I snap in frustration. "Just how far is this temple?"

Pop slaps me on the back of my head. "Calm down, boy. We will get there when we do. Just be quiet and walk."

"Easy for you to say, old man." I glare at him. If it weren't for all the weight I was being forced to carry, I'd have pounded his face in by now. At times like these, I wish I had Ryouga's retarded strength and stamina.

"We're here!" Happosai declares in his usual happy tone.

"Really?" I ask, relieved. Rising my head upwards, I spot an ancient-looking building a few meters away. The place was so rundown, it seemed abandoned. Any excitement I had over this trip instantly vanishes. "We came all the way here for this dump?" I feel my tired legs buckling at the sight before me.

"I never said we came here for the temple." Happosai states simply.

"What?" I look at Happosai in mild surprise; is there some kind of super secret, more awesome temple hidden behind the dump that I can't see?

"Don't be silly, my boy!" He joyfully smiles at me. "We came here for the onsen nearby!"

I stare at him as if he just grew horns, a second head, and a third arm, all at the same time. "Damn it, pops! I thought you said this was a training trip?"

"Foolish boy! This _is_ the master's idea of a training trip!" Pops sure is good at pointing out the obvious. Doesn't make me feel any better for being dragged along, though.

"That's right!" The old goat jumps around like a child going to an amusement park. His antics are just making me even more annoyed than I already am.

"Damn old goat, dragging us out here for nothing!" Finding newfound strength, I charge at him with a punch containing all the strength I could muster. Too bad the old bastard is just as fast as always. All I manage to do is hit an afterimage and the dirt.

Before I could react, a harsh blow to my head sends sprawled into the hard earth. "Umph!"

"Ranma, my boy." Sitting on my head, the old goat taps it with what I assume is that that damn pipe of his. "Don't you see? With onsens come hot naked young girls! What's not to like?"

"I shoulda known this woulda happened." I groan. The old goat always pulls stuff like this.

"Come now, Genma!" He bounces off my head. "We must get ready."

"Yes, master." Pops tells him obediently. "I'm right behind you."

Right through the corner of my eye, I look at pop follow him like a loyal slave. "Damn perverts..." I mutter as I get up.

"Aren't you coming, Ranma? The ladies are waiting." Happosai stops to look at me.

"Gee. I think I'll pass, gramps." I refuse instantly.

"Your loss." He turns back to my old man and orders him around. "Let's carry on, Genma."

"Yes, master." If pop were a dog, I bet he'd be waging his tail right about now.

I get rid of the awful load off my back as they disappear from my sight. Sighing from relief, I move my stiff body around and get myself comfortable again. "Stupid morons. Makin' me walk all the way here for some damn perverted fantasy..."

I think I'll exercise a bit to kill some time. There isn't anything else I could do, to be quite honest. Doing this under direct sunlight is a bad idea, though.

I look at the old temple and smirk. That dump will have to do for now, I think and barge in. I search for a good open spot and start out with a light kata.

Hours pass, and I notice that it's getting dark, but I don't mind. I'm used to practicing at night. There's something pretty exhilarating about going through the movements in darkness. I strike at the shadows as I go through the kata, alone in this decrepit temple. I don't know where pops is, and the old goat is probably harassing the local women by now. If there are any people living in this temple, they sure don't like to make themselves known. I haven't seen any signs of another human in hours.

"Man, it's really getting dark in here." I mutter to myself, wiping the sweat off my brow. It is getting to the point that I could barely see my hand when I extended my arm in a full punch. If it isn't for the moonlight creeping in through the archways, it'd be pitch black in here.

"I think I've warmed up enough." I say. I'm not sure why I'm speaking at all. There's no one here but me and the shadows. With a light bow to an invisible opponent, I begin my practice. I move in swiftly, visualizing my opponent as I strike at a shadow. The darkness moves away from my blow and I quickly duck a kick that wasn't there. I go into a sweeping kick, which my opponent leaps over. The shadow retaliates with another kick, which I lift my arm to block. And so, my exercise continues, shadowboxing with an invisible opponent, completely unable to see my own movements unless I cross the moonlight.

'I have you now!' I think to myself. I am visualizing my opponent; he's getting tired from the constant dodging. A thick sweat had already built up on my body, so I too start feeling the fatigue of this fight. It's all over though. I leap in for a final blow, twisting in mid air to deliver an axe kick my enemy would not see coming.

"Impressive." My leg hits something. I connect with a figure that had been standing in the darkness. I'm too surprised to react when a punch comes, nailing me in the mid section and hurling me into the wall, and breaks under the impact.

"Who the hell..." I mutter, disoriented and confused. How long had that guy been there? Maybe I was fighting him all along, and just didn't notice it? The figure steps into the moonlight and I see that it's a man in a brown robe, likely the keeper of the temple.

"You are indeed a skilled martial artist, though I am quite curious what you are doing in this temple. This is not a place for warriors." He says to me, looking genuinely curious. At least, I think it's curiosity.

"For a guy who's not a warrior, you sure hit hard." I say. That blow had really hurt. I grab by chest a little, wincing from the touch. Yeah, that's going to turn into a bruise.

"Heh, indeed." He chuckles. "Anyhow, I do believe it is time you went on your way. And do try not to break anything else on your way out." I can tell he means the wall, even though that was totally his fault. Before I can say as such though, he disappears into the temple.

"Lousy mysterious monks appearing out of nowhere..." I grumble to myself. As I start to get up out of the hole in the wall, my fingers touch something unexpected on the floor. "Eh?" Grasping the object, I stand up and wander into the moonlight, seeing I had an old, tattered scroll in my hand.

"What's a scroll doing hidden in the wall?" My curiosity gets the better of me. I quickly open the scroll, careful not to tear the paper that looks like it's starting to fall apart. The text was old and worn, making it hard to read even in the moonlight. I was squinting at it and holding it a few centimeters from my face, trying to see the characters written there.

"Let's see... 'Contained within'...'this'...I'll just assume that's supposed to say 'scroll.' Man, this thing is hard to read..." the scroll is practically illegible. At least, it looks that way. It's way too dark to properly read the thing.

"Wait...doesn't that say 'cure?' 'Cure to...' what the hell is that supposed to say? 'the...Shape-shifting...curse.'" My heart feels like it had stopped. Does this mean what I think it means? A cure to a shape-shifting curse. "It's a cure!" I exclaim, suddenly much more excited about this trip. I can hardly believe my eyes. Who would have thought I'd find something like this?

I rush outside in hopes in finding a better source of light. However, looks like my plans will have to wait.

"What a haul! What a haul!" The old goat's words echo to my ears.

"Oh, crap." I quickly stash the scroll in my pack, before either of them notices anything.

"Hey, Ranma!" The old fart exclaims behind my back. It's amazing how he managed to get so close to me in such a short time.

"What's up, gramps?" I casually turn to him, as if nothing has happened. I'm having a hard time keeping a straight face.

"You missed the fun!" He shakes the large bag of cloth tied to his back. "Look what I just got! Isn't this one a beauty?" The old pervert shows me a colourful bra.

I roll my eyes at the display. "I'm sure I have." I say sarcastically. Looking behind him, I see pops with a similar bag tied to his back, but he looks extremely tired and... Well, beat up. "What the heck happened to you, old man?"

Pop collapses after a few steps. "Long story."

"Hmph." Happosai harshly glares at pop. "If that's the extent of your abilities, you'll never match me one day."

As if anyone would want to, I sarcastically think.

"I'm sorry, master!" Pop quickly sits up and bows apologetically. "I'll try harder next time, master!"

"That's the spirit." He jumps on his back. "Now get up. We're going home."

I smile at his words. Best news I heard all day. Well, other than the news of my cure of course.

Pops groans and starts walking again, all the while carrying that old goat.

"Don't forget our luggage, Ranma, m'boy."

"Oh... yeah." I look at our packs and groan. At least knowing that pop is suffering too along the way makes me feel better.

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_Hibiki_

I sulk as I walk aimlessly around town. As much as I'd want to believe I know where I'm going, I face reality and accept that I am not. I'm not even sure what town I'm in right now, but I think it's Nerima... At least, I hope it is.

Walking around under the hot sun for a few more minutes, someone decides to stop me.

"Hey, Ryouga, sonny!"

Recognizing the voice, I suddenly stop and turn around. "Hey, gramps." I greet the old man as he bounces towards me, ever so cheerfully.

"What's up?" He curiously asks me.

"Not much. Just trying to find my way around." I answer him. What luck, maybe I could use him to get to the dojo...

"Say, sonny, could you do this poor little old man a favor?" Happosai sweetly asks me.

"Err. What is it?" I inquire, expecting him to ask for something perverted.

Happosai simply points behind him with his thumb.

Taking a peak behind his large bag, I spot two figures sprawled on the ground. "Saotome-san?" I see Ranma's father lying on his stomach, motionless. "And... Ranma?" Also, Ranma is on top of him. Both appear to be completely out of it, seemingly exhausted. I'm pretty curious as to what made them so damn tired to render them unconscious.

"Could you help me carry them back home, sonny?" The old man makes his request clear. Though, I'm wondering as to why he didn't just leave them. I seriously doubt he cared about their well-being. "Just be careful with the bag Genma's carrying." I blink for a moment at it, figuring out the reason. How typical.

"All right. I'll help." I agree to help the old man. If it means I'll finally get to reach my destination, I'm willing to do anything.

I walk over towards them and lift each one of them to one of my shoulders, including all the crap they're carrying. "There we go." I balance myself normally.

"Good, good. Now follow me." Happosai immediately starts jumping over the roof tops.

"Oh, jeez." I exclaim before following him.

The old man is merciless. Completely disregarding the fact of my load, he picks up more speed and jumps around into difficult routes without hesitation.

On the other hand, I'm hardly affected by the weight, so I shouldn't complain too much. It is kind of annoying, though. It's pretty hard to keep up with the old goat when carrying two people and six bags.

"You sure this is the right way, gramps? I thought the dojo was in the other direction." I say, gesturing in the other direction with my head. I can't really move my arms without risking dropping something.

"Exactly, my boy! If you think it's the other way, then it has to be this way!"

"Hey!" Even Happosai knows about my direction sense? That stupid Ranma must have told him about it. I should just drop the bastard for that.

"Eh, wha? What's going on?" Speak of the devil. Looks like he is waking up.

"Good, you're awake." I say, rolling him off my shoulder and letting him hit the roof. "Carry your own stuff!"

"Damn it, Ryoga!" He shouts at me. I turn around to respond, but he starts fiddling around in his pack.

"Oh thank god, the cure didn't get damaged." My heart practically stops. Genma, the packs and Happosai's precious stash go flying off my shoulder as I stop at high speed. Cure? Ranma has a cure!

"Damn it, Ranma! When were you planning to tell me you found a cure!" I turn and run back towards him. If Ranma thinks he's going to cure himself like the selfish bastard he is, then he's dead wrong!

"Eh? Hey! This is my cure! Get yer own!" He shouts back. He quickly stashes the scroll he was looking at back in his pack before picking it up and making a run for it.

"Get back here, Ranma!" I yell, following after him and completely forgetting about my previous task.

"Stop following me, damn it!" Ranma yells without bothering to stop. "It's mine!"

"Like hell I will!" I stubbornly run after him. Somehow, I manage to catch up to him, but that bastard is quick on his feet as usual and starts gaining more ground. Before he could get any further away, I lunge at his feet, causing him to lose his balance and fall down.

"Ryouga, get the hell offa me!" Ranma tries kicking me off, but I hold his legs firmly within my grasp.

"Give me that damn cure, Saotome!" I start pulling his pack off using one arm.

"Ryouga, you dirty snake!" Ranma manages to slip one leg away and kicks me in face, causing me to let go of his pack. However, I still firmly hold his other leg, so he can't run away just yet.

"Damn you, Saotome..." I growl under his foot. "If you think I'll let you get cured by yourself, think again!" I grab his ankle with my free hand, and together with the other, swat him in the opposite direction.

"Ack!" Ranma panics, but not because of the pain; his pack acted as cushion to my attack. "Ryouga, you idiot! You'll break it!"

"Then you'd better share it!" I attempt to do it again, but before I could slap him on the ground again, Ranma kicks me in the face once more.

"Oh, jeez! Fine, I'll share it with you! Just put me down!" Ranma finally submits to me. Though, that's more due to fearing the cure would vanish rather than getting a beating from me.

"Really?" I drop him from my excitement.

"Ow. My poor butt." Ranma rubs his ass like a baby.

"So what's the cure, Saotome?" I ask with interest.

"I dunno." Ranma shrugs. "Didn't read it yet." Ranma starts messing with his pack.

Shifting my weight from one foot to another every few seconds, I watch Ranma intently, wishing he would hurry the hell up. I can hardly stop myself from jumping around in utmost glee. The thought of getting rid of the pig sends thrill down my spine. I feel so close to becoming a full man again.

"Ah, here it is!" Grinning like a hyena, Ranma finally pulls out a worn out scroll from his pack.

Edging closer to Ranma, I can almost feel my heart jumping to my throat. "Well? Open it!"

"Yeah, I'm on it!" Ranma tells me with similar excitement. Ranma carefully opens the scroll, as if it was his own soul. With the way it looks, I can't really blame him. That thing seems like it might break to little pieces at the tiniest bit of force. Makes me feel a little bad for smashing Ranma into the ground a second ago. Ranma scans over the scroll for a few seconds. The suspense is killing me, but that bastard won't read out loud.

"Ah, shit." Ah shit? What the hell was that supposed to mean! People don't just say 'ah, shit' when something good happens.

"What? What's the problem?" I swear, if that thing really isn't a cure, I'm gonna break Ranma in two!

"It says we can't use it until midnight. I wanted to get cured right now." Ranma responds. That's a relief. That bastard Ranma, making me worry.

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_Saotome_

Ryoga and I moved to the park to go over the spell until midnight. We ended up spending most of that time fighting over who got cured first. It's now 20 minutes before midnight, and Ryoga is still glaring at me for winning the argument.

"So now what?" Ryoga asks. I'm starting to get really tired of his constant questions. If he was so bored, he could at least help out. I finish the final character and stand back, looking at my handiwork. I had to take my time to keep it from being sloppy, but the spell circle is finally complete. Now for the next part.

"Alright, Ryoga, come here for a second." I say, gesturing for him to come closer. He looks at me suspiciously, but he comes over anyway. I wait for him to get close enough to touch before I move.

"Ouch! Hey!" A few drops of Ryoga's blood fall into the center of the spell circle from the jagged piece of plastic I just used to cut his cheek. He punches me in the face in response. Can't say I expected him not to.

"What'd you do that for!" We both say simultaneously.

"You cut me, what'd you expect?" Ryoga shouts at me, obviously angry.

"It's part of the spell! It says I need someone else's blood." I answer. It's true; the scroll is pretty straight forward about that part. You need blood, and it can't be your own blood. I don't know why, but then again I don't know how magic works. As long as I'm cured, I don't care what it takes.

"Let me see that." Ryoga grabs the scroll and carefully opens it. We're standing under a lamp, so the fact that midnight is in less than 10 minutes doesn't hinder his ability to read it.

"Hair of the cursed, the blood of another, and the midnight light of the moon." Ryoga reads off the ingredients necessary to perform the spell, just like I did earlier. I've already put my own hair into the circle, and now I just have to wait until midnight. Ryoga looks at me for a second, and I can tell he's worried. I'm not sure why though.

"I'm not so sure about this cure anymore, Ranma. I'm getting a bad feeling about this." Ryoga says. I look at him like he's grown a second head. It is a cure! What is he complaining about?

"Come on, Ryoga. This is a chance to be free of our curses. What's the problem?" He looks spooked. It's only a few minutes to midnight and Ryoga is chickening out?

"Ever since you put my blood in that circle I've been getting chills, Ranma. This doesn't feel right. Why would the spell require someone else's blood? Blood I can understand, but why specify that it can't be your own blood?" Ryoga opens the scroll again, but he pulls a bit harder this time. I hear the old paper creaking and breaking and cringe a little at the sound of it. However, rather than seeing the scroll break into multiple pieces, it instead unrolls a lot further than it had earlier. It seems the scroll had been partially stuck together. Ryoga looks at me for a second and I can see the concern on his face. He seems really spooked. As he starts to read, I look over his shoulder to read too.

"Remember, under no circumstances should you break the circle during the ritual. Be sure to keep the live... sacrifice... restrained...so that...their struggling won't break the...circle..." Ryoga turns as white as a sheet. "Live sacrifice?" I _really_ don't like the sound of that.

"Ranma, we're not doing this spell." Ryoga insists.

"You don't have to tell me twice." We both head towards the circle, ready to wipe the spell away and just go home. That was when a loud, repeated beating started sounding. Ryoga's watch. He had set it to midnight.

"Ranma, isn't there some kind of spell we're supposed to recite?" Ryoga asks me. The street lamp suddenly goes out. Then another, and another. Pretty soon every light in the park is suddenly shut off without warning. Even Ryoga's watch dies.

"Uh...no. There isn't..." The scroll doesn't say anything about any chants or anything. All it has in it is a diagram of the spell circle and how to draw it, a few sentences saying that it cured shape-shifting curses and that it needs those ingredients. Thunder suddenly sounds in the sky. That's funny; there weren't any clouds a second ago. Now the sky is covered.

"So...We don't have to say anything. There's nothing to do?" Ryoga is clearly nervous. To be honest, I'm getting pretty nervous myself. There's a weird sound coming from somewhere. It sounds like a humming. A single note, rapidly getting louder.

"No...There's none of that in the scroll..." I answer, looking around. The sound is getting louder. If I'm not mistaken, it's coming from the circle.

"So... this spell..." Ryoga starts, but stops as a glow erupts from the circle. "Just...casts...itself?" I'm speechless. There are no words that will come to my mouth. I just stare wordlessly as a ghostly figure climbs out of the ground from the center of the spell circle. The thing is huge. It looks like some kind of wolf that had been mauled by a larger animal. Its skin is all torn and bloody, and its fur was only growing in certain parts of it. Most importantly, it has no eyes. Just two empty sockets with an eerie red glow seeping out of them.

"What the hell is that thing!" Ryoga shouts.

"How the hell am I supposed to know!" I respond.

"Cursed one." The wolf thing says in half a growl and half a whisper. It points right at me with a bloody claw as it speaks. I just stand my ground. I'm not afraid of some rotting dog corpse.

"Sacrifice." It whisper-growls, pointing at Ryoga with its other claw.

"If you think I'm going to let you sacrifice me, you've got another thing coming!" Ryoga shouts. He jumps at the thing with his arm cocked back, intent to punch the zombie ghost wolf thing. Just as Ryoga gets close to the thing, a ray of light erupts out of its palm and strikes Ryoga dead in the chest. Ryoga starts screaming. It isn't just a scream though. He was _screaming._ Truly screaming. He lets loose a scream that will haunt my dreams until the day I die. It is simply indescribable. It is the sound of absolute suffering.

"RYOGA!" I yell. It's the only thing I can think of doing. That's when it hits me. The ray of light suddenly erupts out of Ryoga's back and strikes me right in the solar plexus. I'm expecting to feel a level of pain beyond anything I had ever experienced, but instead all I feel is slight warmth. It's actually a refreshing feeling, as if all the fatigue and pain is leaving my body. Ryoga's still screaming, and I'm being re-energized by the experience. I can't let this continue. I have to stop this! Ryoga is dying, damn it!

'I have to break that damn circle...' I think to myself. But I'm stuck in place. It's as if the ray of light is a solid block of metal that's fused to my torso. I can't move out of it at all, and the circle is completely out of my reach.

"Mouku..." I start building up my aura. If I can't reach the circle normally, I'll just blast it out of existence! A golden orange aura starts forming around my body as I concentrate on all my confidence, trying desperately to gather the energy I need to form this blast. Blue green energy begins to mix in with the golden orange, forming a swirling mass of contrasting colors between my fingertips. "...TAKABISHA!"

Ryoga stops screaming. The humming stops as well. Everything just stops. The wind isn't even blowing anymore. A silence falls on the area. It's almost unnatural. I can't hear anything. For a few seconds, I suspect I've gone deaf. The wolf ghost just hangs in mid air for a few moments and glares at me before vanishing completely. Everything comes back. The wind starts flowing again and the street lights come back on. Ryoga falls out of the sky. He hits the ground like a rag doll. Lifeless.

"Ryoga." I can hardly believe my eyes. Ryoga's just laying there. He fell inside the circle and is now just laying there. He's not moving. I'm not sure if he's even breathing. "Ryoga!" This can't be happening. I rush over to Ryoga and turn him over, flinching when I see his eyes. Oh god... his eyes are empty. They're just...empty.

"Ryoga..." He's not breathing. Oh god, he's not breathing. Move! Move, damn it! This can't be happening!

"NO!" I scream. I want to scream, cry, and yell. I start clenching my fists before I even realize it. "DAMN IT! Not like this! I didn't want to be cured like this!" I start punching the ground beneath me, far too angry to care about it. Why did I let this happen? Why wasn't I more careful? I should have read that damn scroll more thoroughly! I should have known!

"No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!" every time I cry out, I strike at the asphalt as hard as I can. I'm already putting a large hole in the ground, but I don't care. Ryoga is dead. I killed him. He's dead because of my own stupidity. I hear the rumble of thunder, but I don't really pay any attention. I'm too deep in self loathing to give a fuck about rain. Just as the rain drops start to fall, I feel a deep pain in my chest. Something's not right.

"What the hell..." I mutter, getting to my feet and wandering away from Ryoga's corpse. The rain picks up and my vision suddenly tunnels. Before I know it, I black out.

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_Hibiki_

Pain. So much pain. I don't know what the fuck that wolf thing hit me with, but it had hurt like hell. It was a pain I can't even begin to describe. It was like my soul was being torn in half. I groan a bit as I start coming to. My whole body feels off. I feel numb, groggy. My body feels so heavy. I don't know why. I can barely open my eyes. Struggling to even lift my eyelids, I gaze skyward to see nothing but rain clouds. It's raining, but my body feels so off I don't even notice.

"It's...raining..." I manage to say. I can barely speak above a whisper, though. I don't know why. I can't even raise my head up. I've never felt so weak in my life. What the hell happened to me?

"Ranma..." I get out. It's still faint. I almost don't hear my own words. "Ranma...Help me up...I can't move..." Silence. The only answer I get is more rain fall. Where the hell is Ranma?

"Ranma?" I ask again. I still don't get a response. Where is he? Did that bastard really just leave me here in the rain?

Wait a minute...

It's raining.

Why haven't I turned into a pig?

"Ranma." I try to say it loudly, but my voice still fails me. Why can't I shout? Why can't I speak any louder than this?

Why do I feel like I'm paralyzed? A rough wind blows in from my side and my head rolls over. I blink a few times to get the water out of my eyes and spot something nearby. It's a body... Oh god, is that Ranma? Had the spell failed? Was he... killed?

The numbness is beginning to fade, but I still feel remarkably weak. I manage to move my arms a bit, then my legs. Soon, I'm able to get back to my feet, my eyes never leaving the body. I have to know. I have to see with my own eyes. I can't believe that Ranma is really dead.

As I get closer, I can't help but feel that something isn't right. This just isn't right.

"That's..." I mutter, close enough to the body to see it for what it was. "That's not Ranma." I state the obvious.

"That's me." I look down, for the first time acknowledging the weight on my chest I had been ignoring until now. Two mounds of flesh stick out of my chest, with a blue silk shirt plastered to them by the rain. There is no denying what they were with the way the wet shirt clung to them. There is also no denying that it is Ranma's shirt I am wearing.

"That's why I didn't turn into a pig..." I mutter aloud. It's the first time I speak above a whisper. I also notice my voice completely lacks the male sound I'm used to. I fall to my knees, the weight on my chest shifting as I look down into a puddle of water collecting on the street. The reflective surface only confirmed what I had already suspected.

"I am... Ranma." The spell went horribly wrong.

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To be continued...

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Author's Notes:

I just want to say that I am very disappointed in my fellow readers. I have killed so many kittens, it's not even funny.

Please don't make me do this again. ;-;


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Takahashi Rumiko. No profit is gained from this work.

"..." Speech.

Persona

By

Dark Master Ryo

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Chapter 2: Within Chains.

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_Hibiki_

Lightening flickers its light around me. Thunder roars loudly in the skies above me. And of course, heavy rain drops upon me. Although I had hoped, I never thought I'd experience this feeling as a human again. Under the rain, I was always that... pig. But now, I am reminded of how it feels to be under the rain. I've been dying for this moment... It's almost impossible for me to describe how much I wanted this.

However, despite all of that, I can't say I'm very happy right now.

I lean upon my slender arms as I face downwards. I can feel my hot breath warm my lips momentarily with each intake of air. I try to calm myself from the shock and attempt to face upwards, but it's hard; almost impossible.

That's right. How can I be happy? After what has happened, I can only feel the worst of emotions swell me up. Anger, regret, frustration... This is all that I can feel right now. Because now, I am... I am...

Gritting my teeth, I punch the ground in a failed attempt to relieve my frustration. I feel like I could cry at any given moment.

"Damn it..." I whisper in my feminine voice. "Why did this have to happen!" I cry out loudly in my feminine voice this time. I shift back on my knees, into a sitting position. I close my eyes and face the dark sky. "Damn it all!" The rain continues to fall at my face as I scream out my anger.

I am no longer who I want to be. I have become nothing more than my own rival. It sounds ridiculous when I think about it, but the truth is undeniable. Here is my own lifeless body in front of me, drenched with water; the ultimate proof. As I stare at it, I feel my anger increase.

"I am Ranma!" I laugh manically. "Give me a fucking break! What a joke!" I growl harshly at my original figure. "Stop that dead look, god damn it! You're me, aren't you! Come back to me!" I frantically grab my arm and pull. "I said come back!" I barely notice the sound of crackling before I hear a loud snap. The force of my pulling sends me falling along with the arm within my grasp. "What... the hell?" I look at my torn arm in shock. Surprisingly, blood is not in sight. I can only see the remains of my shoulder's bones still stuck at the top. That doesn't make me feel any better, though. "No... God no..." To make matters worse, that very arm crumbles to ash before my very eyes.

As I scream, I throw what's left of it away and crawl backwards. I don't feel angry anymore... I am scared. Scared of what just happened; scared of what will become of me. "No! That's my..." My arm continues to dissolve and wither away, until all that's left is the sleeve that used to be around it.

"No way." I whisper and look back at my body. It looks like my legs are next. They twitch and crumble into dust. "Stop it!" I yell and lunge back at it. I grab what used to be my torso, yelling, "I said stop it! This is mine! Give it back to me!" The force of my action does nothing but quickens the process, and I hear the sound of bones breaking to pieces. "Don't take it away! It's mine! Mine, mine, mine..."

As the torso vanishes into nothingness, I lastly latch my hands on my head, only to look at my own skull within seconds.

"Ah!" I drop it to the ground, and back away in fright. "What the hell?" Despite the rain, I begin to sweat. I feel sick to my stomach watching the person I used to be deteriorating into ash. "So are you telling me I am not who I am anymore!" I ask no one in particular. I am too confused to care who my questions are directed to. "I can't accept this bullshit! I..." As much as I want to not believe this, it's happening right in front of me. How can I not accept it?

Confusion swallows me up. I don't know what to do, besides shouting like a mad person. So I run. I run away from this horror.

I hear the sound of my footsteps as I run. Running away feels pleasant, but it doesn't completely ease my worries. I still have a lot on my mind. I want to forget, but I can't. It's impossible for me to do that. That would mean that I have to accept what has happened.

...How can I accept that? That I am Ranma... That's just ridiculous.

Suddenly, the horrible sensation from before returns to me. "Ugh." I gradually slow down my pace, until I can't run anymore. I feel sick; it may be just fatigue, but I feel extraordinarily tired for it to be just that.

"Damn it!" I weakly punch a random wall. My voice sounds weaker. The sound of rain and my heavy breathing seems like the only thing I can hear now. There is not a soul is in sight around me, either.

I walk a bit more, albeit shakily. What the hell is wrong with me? I feel hot, despite the cold atmosphere. I kind of wish the rain would stop; it's starting to get annoying. However, the rain is stronger than ever now; it doesn't seem like it's stopping any time soon.

I trip on something as I walk. I steady myself by leaning on some window shop next to me. I look at the glass, only to find Ranma's female form staring back at me. I look like a horrible mess. I stay this way for a few more moments to catch my breath. I feel like I can fall into a deep sleep once I close my eyes. In fact, I think I just may do that...

"Is that you, Ranma?" A familiar female voice calls.

Ranma? Yes, that's right. She's probably talking to me. I push myself off the wet glass and take a look.

Yes, it's a girl I know. Standing under the rain with an umbrella, Nabiki looks at me with a strange look. I think she finds my situation amusing.

"Wow, what happened to you?" She asks once she takes a closer look.

"I..." I can barely speak. My throat feels completely dry. Nevertheless, I need to say something. Maybe she could do something, I desperately think. I gather my strength and walk in her direction.

"What are you doing outside at this hour, Saotome?" Nabiki shoots yet another question.

Ignoring it, I grab on her blouse and try my best to speak. "Hel..." I think that's my limit. I can feel myself slipping from her. I'll be on the ground in less than a few seconds. Yet, I am finally able to utter some words in a clear voice. "Help... me..." The last thing I see is Nabiki's serious face before darkness takes over my vision.

"Hey, Ranma!" Nabiki's shout seems like a whisper. But what do I care? I am not the "Ranma" she's talking about. Besides, I don't feel a thing right now.

Unconsciousness is great. More like, a bliss. My tired body seems like it's gone. In this darkness, nothing can hinder me.

...So, am I Saotome Ranma now? Is that... my new name? What the hell am I supposed to do? This is all Saotome's fault, isn't it? I'd like to think so, but I think I'm partially to blame, too, this time.

I can feel myself move. I open my eyes, finding myself in the middle of pitch black nothingness.

I look down at myself. I am still a female Ranma. What is going on? I look around. Something doesn't feel right here. It's almost as if...

Wait, am I dreaming? Probably, now that I think about it.

After a few moments of walking around, I see a most shocking sight.

A bunch of black bars... Looking closely at it, it seems more like a huge bird cage. However, that's nothing compared to what's in it.

Within it, a person is wrapped in chains. His wrists are cuffed; his arms are tied, including his legs. The chains are all connected to a bigger one, which, in itself, is connected to a large pillar at the centre of the cage.

More importantly, that person is none other than Ranma himself, or perhaps more correctly, the male Ranma. He doesn't seem to be aware of my presence. His eyes are closed. Is he sleeping?

"Hey! Ranma!" I yell as loud as I could.

No response, though. "Ranma! Wake up!" I try again. However, he doesn't even budge. "Damn you, Saotome!" Maybe I'd be able to do something if I can get to him.

I try grabbing the bars, but as soon as I do, a powerful force knocks me away.

"Argh!" I scream in pain. That blow really hurt. I'm not sure how it's possible for me to get hurt in some dream world, but I just did. Maybe, just maybe, this isn't a dream after all...? If that's the case, then where the hell am I?

I get back on my feet, my hands grasping each other. It felt like I was being electrified. The pain managed to reach my arms, and I still feel them throbbing. Looks like getting to Ranma is out of the question.

What can I do, then? He's right in front of me, so close, yet so far away.

I'm getting tired again. I feel my face, along with the rest of my body, heat up.

_"Is Ranma going to be okay?"_ A female voice echoes around me. I know that voice. How can I forget it?

_"Don't worry, Akane. He'll be fine."_ This time it's a male voice. I know this guy, but... I just can't put my finger on it.

I begin to stir. As I open my eyes, I am greeted with blinding light.

"Look, he's up." Nabiki speaks this time.

"Ranma!"

After my eyes finally adjust to the light, I take a look. It's Akane. She looks awfully concerned.

I sit up and see everyone gathered around me. The Tendos, and Ranma's father. Even doctor Tofu is here. This doesn't feel so bad, being around people that give a damn about me. It's something that I rarely experience.

"Like I said, there's no need to worry; it's just a cold." The doctor adjusts his glasses. "How do you feel, Ranma?"

I still feel a bit hot, but I think I'm fine now. "I'm... fine." I speak weakly. I feel a bit awkward. I'm not sure if I should sound like Ranma when I speak.

"There's no need to act so tough! If you need help, just say so!" Akane frowns at me.

Act so tough? I think I'm starting to see what Ranma constantly whines about. Although, I am baffled at Akane's new behaviour towards me, I don't think she deserves the treatment she gets from Ranma. "I didn't mean it like that, Akane... Sorry."

"Are you really feeling all right, Ranma?" Nabiki looks amazed at my comeback.

I look at Nabiki directly for the first time since that time. Was she the one who helped me? It's likely that she did help, but that seems a bit surprising. I hope she doesn't ask for some sort of payment later.

At any rate, I should tell them about my situation. I open my mouth to speak, but no words come out. I don't know what to say. I can't just tell them that I am Hibiki Ryouga and not Ranma. They might think I went mad.

In the end, have I really taken over the life of a new person? As much as I don't like it, that seems to be a fate sealed especially for me eons ago.

Ryouga has died during that very moment, did he? I am Saotome Ranma now, aren't I?

"What's wrong, Ranma? You seem disturbed." Tofu says. Leave it to Tofu to realize something's wrong. I can feel a few tears building up at the corner of my eyes, but I force them to stay at bay. I refuse to cry! Ranma wouldn't cry if he were in my position.

Then again, I am Ranma now, right? If I am Ranma, then maybe Ranma would cry. What should I say though? I need to figure out what to say.

"Ryoga..." I start, but a sob stops me mid sentence. I've never been one to hold back my tears, so I let them come despite the circumstances. "Ryoga...is dead." I hear the collective gasps of those in the room with a bit of surprise. I look to each of their faces, trying to judge their reactions. If I'm going to be stuck as Ranma for the rest of my life, I at least want to know that Hibiki Ryoga will be remembered. Tofu, Genma and Soun are all stoically solemn from the news. The girls, however, are clearly showing their emotion. Nabiki seems mildly shocked. Akane has a look of utter surprise and confusion on her face. Oddly enough, Kasumi was the only one shedding tears for me.

"Ryoga's...dead?" Akane asks. She seems to be in shock. She isn't crying though. It kind of annoys me that she isn't crying. Was I not important enough to her to shed a tear over? Even if she only sees me as a friend, shouldn't she at least cry? Damn it, why aren't you more upset over this, Akane! I bet if Ranma had died you'd be balling your eyes out!

That thought stops my mental tangent pretty quickly. If Ranma had died, Akane would really be upset. But...where is Ranma? If I'm in Ranma's body, where did Ranma end up? Could he have switched places with me? Was he in my body when it crumbled?

I remember the dream where Ranma was locked in the cage and dismiss that idea. No, Ranma wasn't killed. Something else happened to him. I just don't know what.

"Poor Ryoga. How terrible." Kasumi mutters in-between tears. Her words shake me out of my own thoughts, bringing me back to the point at hand. "How did he die?" Now there's a subject I don't want to discuss. It was hard enough to refer to myself in the third person a few seconds ago. I'm not about to go into a thorough explanation and risk messing up my tenses.

"I don't want to talk about it." I say quickly and get to my feet. I need some time to myself. I need to think this through. "I'm going to take a bath." With those words, I quickly leave the room and head downstairs to the furo. I'm sick of this female body. It'll be easier to think when I'm male again, even if I'll still be Ranma. I take off my clothes in a hurry and toss them into the hamper, doing my best to ignore my own naked female body before simply leaping into the furo. As soon as my body touches the hot water, everything goes terribly wrong. My whole body becomes numb, to the point I can't even tell whether or not I changed back. My vision is quickly spinning and darkening and I start to feel incredibly woozy. I can't even find the strength to speak or scream or moan as I collapse into the bath water and pass out.

--------------

_Saotome_

My head begins to clear and I start to come to, still feeling a little groggy. It's warm. Really warm, in fact. My whole body is surrounded by intense warmth. It almost feels like I'm submerged in hot water. But that's impossible, last thing I remember was collapsing in the park. I open my eyes, only to feel the stabbing pain of hot water rushing in. It's then I notice that I can't breathe. My lungs are burning for air, but I'm too disoriented. I can't even tell which way is up, or how far below the surface I am. What the hell is going on! Where am I!

"GAH!" I surface violently and suck in a sweat breath of air, gasping and coughing to get oxygen as quickly as I can. It takes me a few seconds to realize I'm sitting in the Tendo's furo. What the hell happened? How'd I get back home? "What's going on here?" I manage to say.

Ok, time to take stock of the situation. I'm home, I'm naked, and I'm in the bath. The dojo was a pretty descent distance from the park, so it's pretty unlikely that anyone found me lying in the middle of the park, brought me home and dumped me in the furo. And what about Ryoga?

"Oh god, Ryoga..." I mutter, remembering the recent events at the park. Ryoga was dead now because of me. I'd have to come to terms with that later, though. Right now, I need to figure out how the hell I got back to the Tendo's.

"Let's see...It started raining, and I felt really sick all of a sudden, then my vision went black..." I can't remember anything past that. So how'd I get home, and face down in the furo no less? I climb out of the furo and quickly get dried and dressed. First things first, I should just tell the Tendo's what happened and ask them how I got back. It's the easiest way. With that thought in mind, I leave the bathroom and walk into the living room, a little surprised to see everyone waiting for me there. Even Tofu was here. Weird.

"Everyone, I have something to tell you." I say. No one responds, so I continue. "Ryoga is dead." I'm expecting a series of gasps and maybe a few tears out of the Tendo girls, I'm rather surprised to see that they are all just confused.

"You...already told us that..." Mr. Tendo says, looking at me strangely.

"I did? When?" I ask, totally confused.

"Like 5 minutes ago. You told us right before you went into the furo. Are you feeling okay, Ranma? You sure that fever isn't messing with your brain?" Nabiki responds. Now I'm really confused. Apparently, I managed to hold a conversation while unconscious. I look towards a nearby clock, rather horrified to see that it read 2:23 AM. The last thing I could remember was midnight! How the hell did I lose 2 hours? I suddenly felt very tired. I couldn't take it anymore. Too many things were happening all at once and I couldn't wrap my brain around any of it.

"Maybe it is. I feel like crap. I'm going to sleep." I say, walking towards the stairs and up to my room. I barely reach my futon before collapsing onto it and falling asleep.

--------------

_Ranma's Dream_

I grin to myself as I defeat another opponent. The crowd goes crazy when I'm declared the winner. Why shouldn't they? I'm only the greatest martial artist ever. I'm the only reason people come to these tournaments, after all.

"I love you, Ranma!" Some fan shouts from the stands. I wave in her direction, but I don't have any clue which one of them said it. It doesn't really matter though. They cheer harder anyway.

"Everyone, may I please have your attention." The announcer's voice says over the PA system. The stadium falls silent abruptly as everyone listens to what he has to say. "The remaining 22 contestants have all simultaneously forfeited after watching the last fight. Saotome Ranma is our new champion!" The crowd goes wild in amazement, cheering even louder than before. I raise my hands in victory as a busty woman in a bikini presents me with a wheel barrow full of prize money. It feels good to win.

Something catches my eye that I didn't notice before and the cheers slowly die down. Not because the fans stopped cheering, but more like someone was turning down the volume on the world. There was a cage on the sidelines of the ring, a giant cage, towering into the sky with massive black bars. It's amazing that I didn't notice it before, what with it being so imposing. Everything seemed to be fading now, the entire landscape fading to black behind me, leaving only the bird cage. A bird cage with no door. It's then that I notice what's in it; or rather, who.

A red haired girl dressed in a pair of black pants and a blue Chinese shirt is kneeling near the center of the cage. Her entire body is wrapped in chains, cuffs around her wrists, ankles and throat with locks the size of my fist holding all the chains together. All the chains are in turn attached to one giant chain, the kind of thing one would expect to be attached to a boat anchor on a giant cruise ship, and that chain is in turn attached to a giant pillar at the very center of the cage. From the way the redhead is kneeling, and from the way that giant chain hangs taut, the only reason she isn't laying flat on the ground is because the chain keeps her body from reaching it. Her eyes are closed and her breathing is slow. It looks like she's asleep.

"That's my curse..." I mutter to myself, never even noticing the tournament vanishing into a black nothingness around me. The cage is the only thing that has my attention. I grab the bars and instantly regret it. My entire body jerks and my nerves start burning. It feels like I'm holding onto a live wire while simultaneously being struck by lightning. I let go quickly, glaring at the bars while smoke rises from my palms.

"I ain't going to leave that girl in chains." I mutter, my aura burning around me, "And no damn cage is going to keep me out! Mouku Takabisha!" an orb of confidence ki flies out of my open palms, striking the bars dead on and passing through them like they weren't even there. Instead, it continued on its path and nailed the redhead head on, leaving the bars and the chains totally unharmed.

"What the...What's going on?" She mumbles, waking up in confusion. It looks like she tries to move her arm, but the chain barely allows her enough leverage to twitch. "Why the hell am I all chained up?" She asks.

"That's what I want to know." I respond, a little confused by the whole thing myself. The redhead jumps when she hears my voice and looks at me in surprise.

"Ranma? Is that you? Damn you, what'd you do to me? This is all your fault, you know!" She shouts at me, sounding angry.

"My fault? How is it my fault? I've got no clue how you ended up in those chains!" I respond indignantly.

"Of course it's your fault! You cast that stupid cure and now I'm like this!" She shouts. It all makes sense to me all of a sudden. Of course my curse would appear in chains within a cage. I cured myself! Clearly, this is a representation of her imprisonment in my body because I won't transform anymore.

"Look, I'm sorry you're stuck in a cage because I got cured, but you're going to have to deal with it. You're a curse! I never wanted you in the first place!" I say. The redhead looks at me like I've grown a second head.

"What the _fuck_are you babbling about, Ranma! I am not your curse, I'm Ryoga, you idiot!" She shouts. Ryoga! How is that possible? Why would Ryoga appear in my dreams as my curse while chained up and locked in a cage? That doesn't even make any sense! I simply stare at Ryoga with a dumb look on my face, occasionally scratching my head in confusion and generally being shocked by this turn of events.

"If you're Ryoga, then why do you look like my curse? And why are you all chained up and locked in a cage?" I ask, pointing to the cage and chains in question. Ryoga ponders the question for about a second.

Ryouga looks around, seemingly just noticing the cage for the first time. "Holy shit!" Ryouga exclaims. "This is the same cage I saw in my dream!"

I scratch my head in confusion. I wonder what she's babbling about; I don't like being in the dark of things. "What are you talking about?"

"Ranma, listen to me!" The redhead seems to come to a realization. "That night, after the spell was over, something went wrong!"

"That much is obvious." I cross my arms and urge her to continue. I get the feeling I'm not going to like what I'm about to hear. But if it means I'll get answers to the mysteries going on, I don't care.

"After that wolf bastard hit me, I blacked out." Ryouga starts to explain. "But then, suddenly, I wake up, drenched in the middle of the rain. And then I found out that I was you; your female form!"

I scowl at Ryouga's explanation. I was right; I don't like the sound of that. On the other hand, it makes sense. The puzzle pieces connect perfectly in their place now. Still doesn't explain what's up with the cage yet, though.

"So, what yer saying is..." I try to think of a proper way to put it. "I'm still me, and you've become my female form?" I feel like slapping myself for saying that. That sounds really dumb.

"That's what I think, too." Ryouga nods.

"Oh man..." I hold my head. What the hell did we get ourselves into? The next time I see that old goat, I'll make him regret taking me to that damn temple. Shit... I really feel pissed off right now. It's not even like me to get so angry.

"What the hell?" Ryouga shouts.

"What now?" I take a look at Ryouga. The chains around her body... They're shaking in insanely rapid movements. Ryouga struggles in them, but the chains suddenly break and disappear. "What the heck did you do?"

Free from their grasp, Ryouga examines her body in surprise. "I didn't do anything!" Ryouga looks at me. She looks a bit relieved, but not too happy, either. "Maybe... It's because we figured it out?"

"Who knows?" I shrug. "Either way, what difference does it make? Ain't this just a dream anyway?"

"Hmm..." Ryouga ponders for a moment. "I don't know, but this probably means your chains are broken, too."

"I ain't got no chains." I have chains too? What's Ryouga talking about?

"I saw you in this cage when I was dreaming." As if reading my thoughts, Ryouga gives me an answer. "You were tied up in chains, too."

"What? You've gotta be kidding!" Me, in this damn cage? This is my own damn body.

"This not the time for jokes, I'm afraid, Ranma." Ryouga looks at me seriously. "We need to do something about this."

"Damn right, we do!" I puff angrily. I don't like the idea of sharing this body, and I'm sure as hell Ryouga doesn't, either. But what should we do? "We should find a way to get you back to your body." I say firmly.

Ryouga looks depressed when I say that, though. "My body was destroyed." She averts her eyes away from me.

"Wh-what!" I look at her in surprise. "I'm pretty sure it was fine! What the hell happened?"

"It... It started breaking..." Ryouga's voice seems broken itself. "...and then, it was crumbling... Before I knew it, nothing was left of it."

"God damn..." This is most definitely a horrible predicament. While I'm no good of a situation myself, Ryouga seems to have gotten the shorter end of the stick. "I'm sorry, man." I apologise. It's the only thing I can do, and I feel pretty responsible for what happened. But I guess apologies aren't going to cut it. Words alone aren't going to make everything all better.

"Yeah, well, sorry isn't going to fix anything." Ryouga shares my opinion, too. "So what are we going to do?" Despite her words, she seems disturbed beyond belief. Ryouga doesn't even look at me once while asking her question.

Ryouga stands there, behind the black bars; her arms are held firmly within her hands. Ryouga looks like she's merely standing there with her arms crossed, but she seems to be actually trying to stop herself from shaking. It's almost as if she's containing something big inside of her. It's distressing...

...This is entirely my fault, I think and avert my eyes away from her. It's almost unbearable to watch.

I need to calm down. "What to do, eh?" I force myself to look at Ryouga, but she's still facing away from me.

We stay still like this. Like the silence, my mind is blank; I can't think of anything. What can I do? If I can't even cure myself, then how the hell am I going to fix this? Someone like me can do nothing; nothing at all.

When something bad happens, I always rely on the help of others rather than solve everything by myself.

Then I realize something. In that case, perhaps I should seek the help of someone. And there's only one person I can think of that could be of help.

"Hey." I break the silence with my dark voice. I can't even feel any enthusiasm for what I'm about to suggest. "How about we ask someone for help?"

Ryouga chuckles bitterly at my suggestion. "And who the hell would help us?"

"Ya know, I was thinkin'..." I look at her firmly. "Maybe we should go ask the old crone to give us a hand." I speak in the same tone. Unexpectedly, Ryouga finally looks at me again.

"Maybe she could do something..." Ryouga is getting her hopes up. I, on the other hand, feel skeptical, despite this being my idea. "Let's do that. We should go to see her as soon as we can."

"I suppose we should." I look around. "We should fetch that scroll, too."

Ryouga scowls at that. "Just leave that thing. I doubt it's of any use now, especially after leaving it in the rain."

"Yeah, but it's our only clue." I turn back to Ryouga. "So how do I get outta here?" I change the subject.

Ryouga blinks at my question. "You wake up?" She speaks like it's the most obvious thing.

"No shit, man." I roll my eyes. "How?" I make my question clearer. "You were here before, right? How did you get out?"

"Voices woke me up." Ryouga answers. "I'm guessing you need something to interrupt your dream."

"Great." This does nothing but worsen my mood. "So I have to stay here until someone decides to wake me up?"

"Well..." Ryouga crosses her arms and smiles at me, which I find unusual. "I guess there is one other way to get out."

"Which is?" I raise my eyebrows.

"Die." Ryouga grins this time.

"What!" I shout, flabbergasted.

"Kill yourself, Saotome." Ryouga chuckles in amusement. "If you're no more, then you will wake up."

"You gotta be kidding me..." I look at her nervously. "What if I die for real?"

"What are you so worried about? I've never heard of someone dying because of their dream." Ryouga takes a step closer to me.

"But still..." I look at my hands. I'm actually thinking of doing it, but my hands just can't move.

"Here. Let me help you, Saotome." Ryouga suddenly says.

I look in her direction and widen my eyes. Some sort of projectile is heading towards me. I don't even have the time to react; it almost instantaneously lands on my neck.

It's pain. Unimaginable pain, and I can't even scream because of it. I see blood splatter around in the air as I fall backwards.

First comes pain, and then, it's blinding light.

--------------------------------------

To be continued...

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Authors' Notes:

Schmidt: I finally got around finishing this. Yay. I wasn't able to work on this for a while, because Windows decided to break on me. Don't you just love reliable software?

Also, I am proud to announce that many kittens have been saved. Keep up the good work, guys.

Ryo: This is our third update this month. Will wonders never cease? We might actually update From Jusenkyo with Love within a few weeks! Who knows? We seem to be on a roll.


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